Manchester United lead way as Ji-Sung Park sees off rivals

Manchester United went for a stroll in the Park - and waltzed back to the top of the table with this sweet win over their bitter rivals.

Ji-Sung Park clinched another crucial three points to inflict even more misery on Liverpool yesterday.

Rafa Benitez's men were looking for their fourth win on the spin over Sir Alex Ferguson's side, but it all came to nothing.

Fernando Torres missed a great opportunity to level things up in the final minute, which ensured Park's 60th-minute goal decided matters.

And Fergie milked every last minute of it, punching the air in delight as he made his way towards the tunnel in front of the United fans.

Park struck on the hour to clinch a win all the sweeter for the fact that they had been behind after just five minutes when Torres scored with a brilliant header.

Wayne Rooney got the champions level when he missed his penalty but smashed in the rebound. At that point, it seemed just a question of time before United would sneak in front.

And when Park swooped to score with a diving header from Darren Fletcher's cross, you could sense the relief sweep through the ground.

That United deserved to win was not in doubt, but it needed the confirmation of getting themselves in front, with Park coming up trumps.

Fergie and Benitez did shake hands at the end at least, burying their lingering animosity for the briefest of moments.

Bubbled This promised to be a firecracker of a game and from the minute referee Howard Webb whistled to let battle begin, he might as well have lit the blue touchpaper and stood back.

Within 10 minutes you had Fergie and Benitez virtually nose to nose on the touchline, with the pair arguing the toss after Liverpool's fifth-minute lead had been cancelled out by a controversial penalty.

Jamie Carragher was gesticulating angrily at Gary Neville and you could sense it all going off without too much prompting.

However, when United found themselves behind early on, fears of what happened here 12 months ago inevitably bubbled to the surface.

Memories of that 4-1 defeat are still raw at Old Trafford, even if United did go on to head off Liverpool's brave challenge and win the title by four points.

But how things have changed in such a short spell of time. While United push for a fourth consecutive title, which would edge them past Liverpool to 19, the Mersey men have had a torrid time.

The Anfield outfit have limped through a season in which finishing fourth would now be seen as a major achievement.

So when Torres gave them an early lead with a beautifully taken headed goal, the scene was set for an anxious time ahead for Fergie's men.

Torres took full advantage after a neat back-heel, when Michael Carrick lost possession in the centre circle, and raced towards goal after laying it off to Steven Gerrard.

The England man fed the ball to Dirk Kuyt out on the right and when he found Torres lurking in space between Rio Ferdinand and Neville with a perfect centre, the Spaniard pounced. Torres picked his spot with a great header and sent it sailing into the far corner to give Liverpool the perfect start. But United roared back, with Rooney getting the fire in his eyes after a challenge by Carragher which had the striker pointing angrily at the referee.

Within a minute he had sent a 20-yarder inches wide of the post, but his revenge was to come quicker than he could have bargained for.

Punching Antonio Valencia was sent tumbling in the box by Javier Mascherano and Webb took just a couple of seconds before pointing to the spot, even though there was minimal contact.

Rooney stepped up and though Pepe Reina guessed right and saved without too much difficulty, he could only beat it back into the hitman's path. Rooney was following up and rammed the ball home for goal No.33 before celebrating by punching the air in the direction of the visiting fans.

Benitez and Fergie got into a heated exchange on the edge of the technical area as emotions threatened to get out of hand. However, this was exactly what it is all about - two bitter rivals going at it hammer and tongs.

Torres was booked for a foul on Park and Carragher also got a yellow card for a reckless challenge which felled Rooney.

But there was more misery for Torres right at the death when he totally mis-controlled a Gerrard cross just 10 yards out as any last hope of salvaging something flickered out.